Trans Fats Ban Not "Big Brother" Enforcement

Synthetic trans fatty acids are made when liquid vegetable oil is hydrogenated - a chemical process that makes the liquid oil solid at room temperature.

The purpose of making trans fats is for commercial processing. Hydrogenated oils have a longer shelf life and can be used to make things taste more like saturated fats (like butter) at a lower cost than using butter. Trace amounts of natural trans fats are found in meats, butter, cheese, and some vegetables with apparently no known harm.

While non synthesized fats including saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated all make useful contributions to our biological function including making hormones and using vitamins A, D, E, and K, synthesized trans fats have no such use and no known benefit to our function.

Research has shown that trans fats have a far greater negative health effect than any of the other fats. Synthetic trans fats decrease HDL, the good cholesterol, while increasing LDL, the bad cholesterol. This clogs arteries and increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Banning trans fats is not about a politically correct big brother social engineering ploy to ban the consumption of fat. While some outspoken media pundits cry and moan this ill conceived argument, it appears they do so either in ignorance, to be a contrarian, or to give the appearance of being a benevolent libertarian trying to take credit in standing up for your rights.

When trans fats are banned, fats in general are not banned - only the synthetically manufactured trans fats are.

This means one could not make the argument that the government is interfering with a citizens freedom to chose to eat fatty foods, and that further the government is encroaching once again on our freedom to choose. In fact, banning trans fats is like banning asbestos or any substance that has been shown to pose a significant threat to our health.

So don't get your knickers in a knot about synthetic trans fats being eliminated from our food supply. If one wants to spitefully engage the right to choose to over eat fatty foods, they can can go ahead and over eat fats that would otherwise be healthy if not overeaten. There are no known safe levels of synthetic trans fats and trans fats are not necessary for any purpose, manufacturing or otherwise.

Make no mistake, fats are still available in New York and other places trans fats have been banned in as much of a gluttonous proportion as any individual wishes - you just can't get synthetic trans fats. Citizens still have the right to over eat to the point of harming themselves if they like. Why one would choose to use over eating as a good way to express our democratic freedom is totally whacked in my opinion. Surly other aspects of human rights are more deserving of our attention and focus.

The bans on trans fats is a good thing and does not harm anyone's rights and liberties.

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© 2007 Cris LaBossiere Rhino Fitness www.rhinofitness.ca